Arsenal Boost Over Rabiot As Barca End Interest

Rabiot Options Narrow

Arsenal have been boosted by the news that Barcelona have ended their interest in Paris Saint-Germain’sAdrien Rabiot.

Gunners target Rabiot has been linked with interest from the Catalan side since they were able to open talks with him on 1 January.

There have been reports that Barcelona had already come to an agreement over terms and were waiting for the green light from the 24-year-old Rabiot. But the death of his father in January put the skids under any move.

Now, there are reports that no such offer came from Barcelona and that the La Liga leaders have ended their interest after signing Frenkie de Jong from Ajax in the January window. De Jong will formally become a Barcelona player on 1 July.

Arsenal and Liverpool are both tracking Rabiot whose contract with PSG expires at the end of the season. However, after telling the French side that he wouldn’t be signing a new deal he was told he would not be considered for selection. As a result, Rabiot hasn’t played since he came on as an 83rd-minute substitute in the 4-1 Champions League win over Red Star Belgrade on 11 December.

Arsenal boss Unai Emery is known to be an admirer of Rabiot having worked with him for two seasons at PSG. But the Gunners have been linked with the France international since 2015 – when he was also dropped by PSG after refusing to sign a new deal.

Rabiot is demand around £200,000 a week in wages. He also wants a signing-on fee of €10million (£9million) and will only consider sides who are playing Champions League football.